French vineyard attracts Seedrs highest number of crowdfunding investors

ByArabella Mileham

Published: 02 March, 2015

A French vineyard that launched a crowdfunding campaign has already attracted the record number of investors.

Domaine du Grand Mayne achieved 50% of its target ahead of its official launch today. Within a week of soft-launching its campaign, its has already attracted the highest number of investors that the crowd-funding platform Seedrs has ever experienced.

The company relaunched under new UK-based ownership in 2013 and is aiming to raise 450,000 to modernise the winery, plant new vines, and improve facilities. It wants to rebuild the vineyard's brand, which sold 250,000 bottles per annum at its height in 2007, by making Domaine du Grand Mayne a destination for tourists and wine lovers. The minimum investment is £500, with shares costing £1.

Shareholders will own part of the winery and will qualify for significant discounts on direct-from-vineyard wine purchases and renting the six bedroom, six bathroom vineyard villa. They will also be able to attend tastings and social events in the UK and France, and there are plans to run an education programme to help them explore the sector and expand their knowledge of wine.

The scheme has attracted investors from the Wineshare scheme, a scheme set up by the vineyard's founder, Andrew Gordon, in which consumers could 'rent' rows of vines. Gordon, who sold the company in 2007, has rejoined the new company as a director to oversee its modernisation.

Founder, entrepreneur Graham Hazell, said it was touching that former Wineshare members had responded to the event. "Many of our investors are quite new to internet use and yet, here they are struggling to overcome technical problems with their keyboards in order to buy a slice of the vineyard through crowd- funding." Fantastic!"